The atmosphere in the locker room after the Henderson County Colonels boys basketball team lost to Lyon County, according to coach Tyler Smithart, was one of the most emotional he’s ever been a part of.
Smithart said, though, it wasn’t because the Colonels came up on the wrong end of the scoreboard, but more so the yearslong journey with this group was ending.
“It was more because we were reflecting on what the relationships in that locker room meant to us,” Smithart said.
The group of five seniors “overcame real-life struggles” during their years at HCHS and earlier in life, and they bonded with the junior class, creating what Smithart described as a “special season.”
Smithart mentioned the adversity his seniors faced:
- Alec Satterfield lost his father, Todd, to cancer when he was a young boy
- Max Thompson and Nick Belle were still playing junior varsity last season, which according to Smithart, is a time in which many juniors these days would go ahead and decide to hang it up
- Yusef Sanogo-Kendrick seriously injured his knee as a freshman and didn’t play as a sophomore and junior before coming back out for the team as a senior
- Omarrion Barrett suffered serious health issues due to complications from COVID that forced him to be hospitalized
Smithart said each senior had to overcome something to get them where they were, and this culmination “created more meaning as we were going through the season.”
“You couldn’t help but be inspired and motivated and sometimes emotionally overwhelmed,” said Smithart, who has just finished up his 12th season as the Colonels head coach. “We (the coaching staff) understood we had something special early on in the year, and we tried to treasure each moment.”
Part of the team’s specialness revolved around the players’ unselfish nature and the team’s cohesiveness. Some sacrificed more minutes or more points in service to the team, he said.
The Colonels ended the season with a 26-7 record, winner of a fourth-straight district crown and Region 2 runners-up.
In the regional championship, HCHS fell to a Lyon County team that has three seniors going to play collegiately at a Division I school, including the state’s all-time leading scorer, Travis Perry, who will suit up for the University of Kentucky next season.
In the regular season, the Cols defeated the Lyons 79-74 on Lyon County’s home court.
Smithart was named both the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches Region 2 Boys Coach of the Year and 2nd Region Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.
He said it was a “team award” because you can’t win coach of the year without athletes on the floor making plays. Additionally, he credited his staff, which includes Ryan Haile, Kyle Forrester, Joey Davenport, Jason Lyons, Ervin Miller, Antoine Calhoun, Jeremiah Coursey and Seth Crowley.
Smithart also gave due to players’ parents for their guidance in teaching team concepts but also to buying into his and his staff’s concepts.
One of the more important initiatives he’s introduced in his time at the helm has been after-season meetings among staff, players and parents. He said coaches often complain about having to deal with parents, but Smithart and staff thought that instead of butting heads, they should look for ways to engage them so that all are all pulling in the right direction.
He said the meetings contain open communication and are honest about outlooks—“What’s it look like for our program and what’s it look like for your sons”—for the next season. Smithhart said this has been a piece of the puzzle in building the program the right way and has helped to improve team cohesion.
Smithart furthermore deflected accolades for coach of the year honors and instead praised his wife, Amy, and sons, Hudson and Jack Henry. All have had to sacrifice so he can coach and said it’s good when they can see their sacrifices lead to positive things in the program.
Several players set school records this year. Satterfield set the mark for most assists in a season (205) and most assists in a career (465). Cooper Davenport broke the record for most 3-pointers in a career (225) and he also holds the mark for most threes in a season (75). Additionally, Davenport became a member of the school’s 1,000-point club. Elijah Suggs broke the record for most blocks in a season (99).
With Davenport and Suggs returning next year, along with Lacon McKinney, Dwaine Moss, Trajdan Davis and Cole Branson, Smithart said there’s “exciting momentum” for what he believes will be another successful season.
“We’ve got a good returning cast to be back in the hunt like we were this year,” he said.
After the loss to Lyon County, Smithart told his team he loved and appreciated them, and he thanked them for the journey, their willingness to listen and to do it the right way. He said they made it special for the community and for him, he said.
“This senior class certainly laid a great foundation,” the coach said.
